From the shadows
by raven flame
Summary: One ninja, one assassin. The former, a thief and the latter, atoning his sins by helping the police. Both from different teams and both teams living in a normal life and hiding their identities in... school? Sou/Mis, Ken/Kao, San/Meg


Disclaimers: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, though I wish I did.  
  
From the shadows  
  
By raven flame  
  
++++++++++  
  
Chapter one: The Azure Tear  
  
++++++++++  
  
Everyone knows that God willed the night for sleep and rest. All worries should be put at the back of their mind and all ideas should be put aside. Yet, on this night a certain group of people are breaking not only God, but also the law of Man.  
  
A girl with a petite and graceful body silently skirted along the walls and carefully disabled the alarms surrounding their target.  
  
'There!' she thought as she cut the last alarm circuit. She swiftly grabbed the target and quickly slinked out off the room and took off running back down the hall knowing gull well that within a few seconds the lasers would activate again.  
  
"Are you there?" She clutched the back of her ear to activate her hidden microphone.  
  
"I'm fine... did you get it?"  
  
The girl touched the beautiful sapphire masterpiece tighter in her pocket "Definitely".  
  
"Good... I'll meet you outside... please be careful."  
  
"Roger that!" she ended their conversation and continued running.  
  
She ran with grace through the halls, easily dodging the security cameras by hiding in the shadows. She wore a pitch black suit that covered her whole body except her eyes. Sliding through the night she looked like a moving shadow. She was almost out of the building but in her elation at securing the target, she failed to remember the guards standing in the last corridor to the exit. Unfortunately, knocking one over.  
  
"Ummff!"  
  
Another guard came running when he heard the noise. The girl immediately stood up and faced the new guard, ready to defend herself. He aimed his gun at her when he saw that she is thief.  
  
"Hands up!" The girl chose to ignore his command and instead settled into a fighting stance. The guard motioned her to attack, thinking she was no match for his gun.  
  
(Guess what the girl is feeling now...)  
  
'Who does he think he is? Thinking I'm no match for him? Well, think again buddy! No one can defeat Makimachi Misao!' With that angry thought, she delivered a hard kick to his side and a swift flick of her wrist making the gun fall.  
  
Needless to say, the guard was speechless. He only saw blurs when she attacked. Before he knew it, the girl delivered a blow that made him unconscious. Meanwhile, the other guard recovered from his fall and attacked Misao from behind. But before he could punch her, she did a back flip and jump kicked him from the air making him crash into the wall, knocking him unconscious.  
  
"Shit!"  
  
Unfortunately for her, the guard triggered an alarm in the wall he crashed into.  
  
"Please Kami-sama, don't let there be more guards!" Again bad luck was with her. Standing by the exit ready to greet her where seven guards.  
  
She readied herself with her arms before her. "What are you waiting for? Surely you're not chickens." She teased, her pride getting the best of her.  
  
With a roar of rage, two guards attacked her at the same time both without guns. The first guard attacked her with a punch that she resolved with a crouch and swift kick at his feet. The other guard aimed a hard kick at her. She barely moved out of the way in time jumping to a safer distance to recover. Then she jumped at his back and connecting with a round kick and finished him with a punch to the stomach.  
  
After that, she turned to the first guard who was recovering from her attack earlier. Before the guard could fully stand up, she immediately punched him in his spine hard enough to make him black out but not fully destroying his spinal cord. "Slowpokes! Is that all you chickens can do?"  
  
She quickly turned back to the other guards, but not before noticing that one was missing. She immediately realized where he was by the sound of a pistol hammer being cocked. She turned around to face him just as he fired his gun at her. Closing her eyes, she awaited the pain.  
  
A few seconds past and the pain was nowhere. She opened her eyes only to see someone with the same clothes she was wearing standing in front of her.  
  
'Kaoru!' She thought with joy. She knew if she said that out loud, the police could gain access to their personal information.  
  
Earlier, instead of Kaoru receiving the blow, she had cut the bullet in half with her sword, protecting both of them.  
  
"Are you alright?" Kaoru asked unwavering her gaze from the guard. "Hai" Misao replied. She almost hugged her cousin for saving her but of course they have to deal with a few problems first. She turned around so that she was back to back with Kaoru and facing the other guards. There were a total of five left and three held guns.  
  
"This should be easy" Misao murmured to Kaoru while taking out her kunais. The guards separated, three facing Kaoru and two to Misao. Then with lightning speed, they both attacked the guards at the same time. Misao threw her kunais at the gun the guard was holding, completely destroying it in the process. She immediately jumped in between the two guards and kicked the latter guard to the tree and then back flipped behind the other guard. She delivered a blow to his temple and he eventually blacked out. She ran with lightning speed to the side of the guard recovering by the tree and gave him an uppercut punch and kicked him knee high to his abdomen making him also unconscious.  
  
Meanwhile Kaoru managed to dispatch her three guards with ease. She had cut the gun of one of the guards with her sword and kicked him in his side making him crash into another guard. She quickly faced the remaining guard who aimed his gun at her. She ducked below him after he fired a bullet. She swiftly made an uppercut with her sword to destroy his gun and then she used her hilt to make him black out. She looked over at her friend just in time to see that Misao was finishing her last guard.  
  
"These days, guns are completely useless against us" She remarked.  
  
"They were chickens too" Misao added.  
  
"Quit being boastful and come inside quickly!" The two turned around only to see that their friend Megumi was calling for them in their car. Upon noticing her, they dashed to the car to avoid further confrontations.  
  
The car drove off after the two got inside."You got it?" Megumi asked while driving. The two took off their masks and they let their silky hair fall to their backs.  
  
Misao sighed and reached for her pocket. "Here" She tossed it to Kaoru who was looking at it in awe. "That is the Azure Tear?" Megumi asked.  
  
"Yes... it sure is a beautiful piece. Definitely worth stealing." Kaoru said while handing the 'Azure tear' to Megumi, who placed it in a pouch and then she turned the car towards their house.  
  
++++++++++  
  
"Glad to be home!" Misao exclaimed upon entering their new house. They just moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. They heard the Azure Tear was In Tokyo and there were rumors that the other items on their list could be found there also.  
  
The house was actually owned by Okina, the head of the Oniwabanshu clan and grandfather of Misao, Kaoru and Yahiko. The household was composed of Okina, Okon, Omasu and Misao. Kaoru and Yahiko had no other relatives so they stayed with Okina. While other Oniwabanshu members such as Kuro and Shiro were living on their own. Kaoru and Yahiko's parents as well as Misao's were dead but they had learned to live with that a long time ago. Most people would view them as a happy family, but the people who resided in this house were part of the infamous thief group called 'The Black Lightning'.  
  
"Ah! My young grandchildren... Did you get the Azure Tear?" Okina greeted them from the stairs.  
  
"Yes Jiya... here" Megumi handed him the pouch. Okina took it and examined the contents.  
  
"Good... You should rest after all you've done... especially with school coming in a few days" he exclaimed.  
  
"SCHOOL!?" Misao screamed. She hadn't expected school because she was occupied with their task. Stealing is a full time job. 'I hate school... I prefer doing our missions. Well, at least there is kempo.' She brightened up a bit at that thought.  
  
"Misao, you know just because we are thieves and we just moved here, it doesn't mean that we can't go to school." Kaoru said intelligently while eyeing Yahiko, who just arrived at the hall.  
  
"What do you know about it, busu?" Yahiko said while walking to Okina's side.  
  
She expected something like that to come out of her brother so she replied. "Shut up Yahiko, you know you're going to school too" Kaoru exclaimed while turning her head to the side arrogantly.  
  
"At least I'm not ugly like you" Yahiko teased while running upstairs knowing his sister is going to beat the hell out of him.  
  
"WHY YOU! COME BACK HERE!" Kaoru yelled while running after Yahiko. Both ran upstairs to the hall towards the balcony but as usual, Kaoru tripped.  
  
"Ouch! That must have hurt. I can't believe that a clumsy raccoon could be a part of an infamous thief group." Megumi smirked.  
  
*Crash*  
  
"I agree" Misao used her hand to massage her temples.  
  
Megumi looked at Misao "I'd better head home" she exclaimed.  
  
"You should, dear. Come here anytime you want. We'll call you when we find any clues as to where the next target is." Okina said and went upstairs.  
  
"Well I guess we'll see each other tomorrow or at school, ne?" Misao said to Megumi.  
  
"Yes, see you then Misao" Megumi waved at her then hopped in her car and drove off.  
  
Misao sighed then went to her room. Her life could be so complicated.  
  
++++++++++  
  
A boy named Soujiro walked silently in the halls of a building. It was a restaurant to everyone's eyes but inside is really a secret headquarters of the group created to help the police when a case became too difficult or some legality tied their hands. Such as getting information on where mafias do their illegal trading or catching the most wanted killer in their country. The skills of this group are ones the police needed. After much thought someone decided to form a group associated with the police, but separate so that they had freedom to act when needed. So assassins were gathered who wanted to redeem themselves. Over time the group became known as the Wind Assasins.  
  
"Soujirou" A voice greeted him from behind.  
  
He turned around and flashed his friend a warm smile. "What is it, Kenshin- san?"  
  
"I was just wondering why you're here. Aren't you supposed to be home already?"  
  
He looked confused then he took a look around him. Then realization hit, he was inside of their headquarters when he was supposed to be helping their friends in closing their restaurant.  
  
Soujiro scratched his head. "I was just wondering around and was thinking deeply and well... I guess I lost track of where I'm going."  
  
"Oro? That's weird but don't worry, I didn't see anyone following you."  
  
"Umm... Kenshin-san can I ask you something?"  
  
Kenshin looked at him after one last check to make sure there was no one following him. They couldn't let their secret out. "Go on"  
  
"Well... I just want to ask if you're going to the same school as I am."  
  
Kenshin blinked "Of course Soujirou... I don't want to leave my friend all alone."  
  
Soujiro's smile brightened.  
  
Kenshin noticed this and curiosity overwhelmed him. "May I ask why you are asking?"  
  
He looked at him then chuckled at his question " Well... it's just that during the last years in school as you know, Sano and I have been mobbed by  
  
a large group of the girls. So we thought you could help us get away from them."  
  
At this, Kenshin gave Soujiro a look that said 'oh-and-how-do-you-suppose-I- do-that?'  
  
Soujiro chuckled again when he saw Kenshin's face. "Since you're new to our school, you can lure them away from us with your good looks."  
  
"ORO?!"  
  
++++++++++  
  
"Misao-chan! Kaoru-chan! Yahiko-chan! Dinner is ready" Omasu yelled at the stairs.  
  
Almost killing each other, the three dashed out their rooms and then tumbled down the stairs. "Sheesh! And I thought that you three were old enough not to do anything like this now that we transferred here" Okon held a tray in her hands while talking to them.  
  
"Okay... get up you three and eat a NORMAL dinner like other kids your age do" Omasu remarked a she went to sit to Okina's left.  
  
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Carefully Misao stood up while clutching her aching head.  
  
"It means that you should learn to eat properly, my granddaughter" Okina said while taking the food from Okon's tray and putting it on the table.  
  
"Get off me busu!"  
  
"Shut up!" Kaoru lifted herself from her brother then went to sit beside Misao.  
  
Satisfied, Yahiko dusted the invisible dust on his t-shirt then sat beside his sister.  
  
After Okon put all the food on the table, she went to sit beside Omasu and in front of Yahiko.  
  
"Well everyone's here... Ittadakimasu!" Misao said before she dug into her food like a beast.  
  
"Ittadakimasu" Everyone said in unison. All ate quietly with the exception of three wild creatures.  
  
"Look at what I told them earlier?" Omasu paused her eating and looked at the three.  
  
"I think we can't change it" Okon sighed.Okina paused in his eating and faced Misao and Kaoru. "Did you find it hard to steal the Azure Tear?" He asked.  
  
"Hah! It was nothing... the guards were totally vulnerable." Misao said boastfully.  
  
"Yes Jiya, we made it here in one piece, right?" Kaoru placed her now empty bowl on the table, her stomach satisfied.  
  
"I guess so..." Okina gazed at them with a far away look in his eyes.  
  
"Say, what is our next target anyways?" Yahiko asked after also having finished his meal.  
  
"We already have the Infernal Flower so... that leaves us with the Burning Flame" Okon remarked.  
  
"What is it with these gems anyway?" Misao asked a bit tired from all the work.  
  
Okina sighed then looked at them. "That is what Aoshi left us... a clue about gems. And not just any gems but the most rare and most valuable ones" he sighed again.  
  
There was a stiff silence in the room. Misao looked away when Okina mentioned Aoshi's name, trying desperately not to cry. 'Why did you have to disappear Aoshi-sama?'  
  
Kaoru saw this so she tried to change the subject quickly. "I heard that the Azure Tear is a part of a collection called the Fallen Triangle, is it true?" She successfully broke into Misao's trance.  
  
"Yes it is... the Fallen Triangle is composed of three jewels: The Infernal Flower is an emerald, the Azure Tear is a sapphire and the last is the Burning Flame which is a ruby. The two that we have, if you noticed earlier, are both replicas of an angel and supposedly the last will be too." Omasu said intelligently. She and Okon were the hackers searching for information on the clues to Aoshi's disappearance. Yahiko is their protection whenever Misao and Kaoru were out on a job. Of course, Kaoru and Misao were the ones who did the dirty work in procuring the target. Megumi is a doctor and sometimes came with them in doing the missions, but usually she was the one who planned how they were to secure the target. She lives with her parents who are also doctors. Currently, the group is gathering information on where Aoshi disappeared to and also collecting the clues he left. That was the whole reason they became thieves in the first place.  
  
"So basically if we complete the Fallen Triangle we would again find a piece of a clue to Aoshi" Okina stated. This time Misao brightened instead of feeling down.  
  
She nodded and sighed. "I just wished he was never kidnapped" She paused. "I swear to hell that I'm gonna kill the person who did this" She curled her hands into a fist making her knuckles white.  
  
"I agree but we should face our present problem first, we need to prepare for school" Kaoru said while thinking.  
  
Misao uncurled her fist and placed it with her other hand in her lap. All her anger was gone "Sure thing cousin."  
  
"I think the name of our school is Hikari University" Kaoru scratched her head wondering if she was correct.  
  
"Yes, that is the name of the school that you're going to attend. Now go to sleep, it's late already and Okon and Omasu will have to clean this up." Okina stood up from his seat while motioning for the two to clean the table.  
  
"Sure, sure gramps... we'll sleep already" Yahiko replied while lifting himself up, the others followed.  
  
"Oyasumi, mina"  
  
"Oyasumi"  
  
'I hope tomorrow will be a better day than today' Misao thought as she walked to her room.  
  
Once again, the world is cruel to her, turning against her wish.  
  
After all, she doesn't even know the half of it.  
  
++++++++++  
  
Did you like it? Was my grammar awful? Is my story stupid? Should I or shouldn't continue? This is just my second fanfic so please tell me what you think.  
  
+Please review+  
  
-raven flame 


End file.
